1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically sewing the toe of a sock when having automatically taken out a sock pattern of knitted fabric from a socks knitting machine which knitted the pattern to the toe portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
A common method of fabricating a sock is carried out with the use of a socks knitting machine, such as a circular knitting machine or a tubular knitting machine as comprising the steps of knitting a sock pattern of knitted fabric from ribbed top to a body, a heel, a foot, and a toe and sewing up the toe selvedge.
The step of sewing up the toe selvedge includes removing a sock pattern of knitted fabric from the socks knitting machine, turning the sock pattern inside out, and manually sewing up the toe selvedge with a seam sewing machine.
As the sock pattern of knitted fabric has to be removed from the socks knitting machine, transferred to a station for sewing up the toe selvedge, turned inside out, placed on the seam sewing machine, and sewed up by manual actions of the toe selvedge sewing up step, the production of socks may decline in efficiency thus increasing the overall cost.
It is hence an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for automatically turning inside out and removing a sock pattern of knitted fabric from a socks knitting machine and sewing up its toe selvedge thus to increase the efficiency of socks production and improve the energy saving, hence minimizing the overall production cost.
For achievement of the object, a method of sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim 1 of the present invention is provided comprising the steps of: after knitting a sock pattern with a sock knitting machine, holding the knitting needles at a specific height, downwardly removing the loops at the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric from latches of the corresponding knitting needles, and holding the loops at a specific location; positioning a group of transfer needles equipped movable tables in a circular relationship just above the sock knitting machine; setting the transfer needles on the transfer needles equipped movable tables close to the hooks of the knitting needles; lifting up the sock pattern of knitted fabric to turn inside out and transfer the sock pattern at the loops of the toe portion from the knitting needles to the corresponding transfer needles with the help of a transfer bit elevated so that the sock pattern of knitted fabric turned inside out are transferred from the sock knitting machine to the transfer needles equipped movable tables; positioning the transfer needles equipped movable tables in two linear rows aligned opposite to each other to sandwich the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric flatly from both sides; shifting the transfer needles equipped movable tables to a toe sewing location; and automatically sewing up the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric with a sewing machine provided at the toe sewing location.
According to claim 2 of the present invention, the method of sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim 1 may be modified further comprising, when the sock pattern of knitted fabric are held by the transfer needles at the toe sewing location, lifting up the sock pattern of knitted fabric with a lifting member to enlarge its loops at the toe portion, inserting a plurality of point needles, each having a recess provided on the upper side thereof, into the corresponding loops which are enlarged, removing the lifting bit from the transfer needles, and sewing up the loops at the toe portion with a sewing needles which performs an intermittent reciprocal action in and along the recess of each point needles.
An apparatus for sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim 3 of the present invention is provided comprising: a group of transfer needles equipped movable tables arranged movable for shifting between a circular position and a linear position where two linear rows come opposite to each other, moving up and down just above a sock knitting machine, and traveling forward and backward horizontally of the sock knitting machine; a plurality of transfer needles mounted on the transfer needles equipped movable tables for radial movement when the transfer needles equipped movable tables are arranged in the circular position; a guide ring for moving up and down in the center of a circle of the transfer needles equipped movable tables arranged in the circular position and when the transfer needles are advanced inwardly, holding the tips of the transfer needles in a circle so that the transfer needles come close to the hooks of the corresponding knitting needles of the sock knitting machine; a vacuum pipe for moving up and down in the guide ring and when held at the lower position, drawing by suction from above the sock pattern of knitted fabric fabricated by the sock knitting machine so that the sock pattern is turned inside out and lifted up; and a sewing machine installed at a location on the horizontal traveling of the transfer needles equipped movable tables for sewing up the toe portion of the sock pattern.
According to claim 4 of the present invention, the apparatus for sewing the toe of a sock defined in claim 3 may be modified further comprising: a lifting member for lifting up the sock pattern of knitted fabric held on the transfer needles at the location for sewing up the toe portion of the sock pattern; a plurality of point needles, each point needle having a recess provided in the upper side thereof, for moving to and from the corresponding loops of the sock pattern of knitted fabric held on the transfer needles; and a sewing needle for performing an intermittent reciprocal action in and along the recess of each point needles which holds one of the loops so that the loops at the toe portion of the sock pattern of knitted fabric can be sewed up.
The transfer needles mounted on the transfer needles equipped movable tables are identical in the number to the knitting needles of the sock knitting machine. The guide ring has the same number of grooves provided in the outer side thereof for accepting and positioning the tips of the transfer needles.
The transfer needles equipped movable table comprises an upper block and a lower holder of a rectangular shape. The holder has a group of grooves provided therein in which the transfer needles are movably mounted. The transfer needles equipped movable table can be driven via a cam member by an air cylinder.